Returning to the topic of President Donald J. Trump—there was a recent headline in America saying that Trump had ‘whipsawed’ some world leaders.
This is a most unusual verb, that I suspect is almost never used in Australia.
What does it mean to ‘whipsaw’ someone?
Well, the verb starts as a noun.
The Oxford English Dictionary inserts a hyphen into the word and says that a ‘whip-saw’ is ‘a frame-saw with a narrow blade.’
The big American dictionary, the Merriam-Webster, defines a ‘whipsaw’ (no hyphen) is ‘a type of hand-powered saw worked by two people.’
I keep picturing it has a very long-bladed saw made of flexible steel which can be used by two people in two different ways: either (1) one man on each side of a tree being cut down, or (2) one man down in a saw pit and the other above.
As one man pulls, the other pushes, giving the saw a strong, deep cut each way.
This meaning goes back to 1538.
Then there’s the verb ‘to whip-saw’ (either with or without the hyphen!).
This is recorded from 1842.
It began with the meaning of cutting with a whip-saw.
But clearly the headline about Trump was using the word figuratively, metaphorically.
In what way did he ‘whipsaw’ some world leaders?
The Merriam-Webster people say that the saw’s name can be figuratively applied to situations in which someone or something is doubly ‘cut,’ or hurt (‘cut’ as the saw thrusts one way, and again as it saws back).
So, perhaps, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, was hurt when Trump blasted him for failing to provide military support in the Iran War—and blasted him again when Starmer tried to claim that he was partly responsible for the ceasefire.
But, as I say, we would never use the word in this way.
We would never say Albanese had been ‘whipsawed’ when he denied there was any fuel crisis and when he then claimed he was on top of the crisis!
TO SIGN UP FOR THE FREE DAILY NEWSLETTER SCROLL FURTHER DOWN THIS PAGE >>>>>>
BOOKS:
* My latest book is called Pray Like This. To look at prayer I do what I do in these Ozword columns: I go through the most famous prayer in the world (The Lord’s Prayer, also known as the Our Father) and unpack it word by word—each chapter being a short word-study on a key word in that prayer. There is a total of 21 words studies in all. To find out more, here’s a link to the publisher’s website (where you can buy a copy if you wish): Pray Like This – matthiasmedia.com.au
* My book is Sherlock Holmes: 5-Minute Mysteries -- containing 50 new stories I have written about the great detective. You can find it on Amazon. Just go to Amazon and type in Sherlock Holmes: 5-Minute Mysteries in the search panel. Or use this link: h Amazon.com.au : Sherlock Holmes 5-Minute Mysteries Kel Richards
* My book "Defending the Gospel" is now in a second, fully revised, edition. You can find it here: Defending the Gospel – matthiasmedia.com.au
* If you're looking for my recent book "Flash Jim" you'll find it here -- Flash Jim, The astonis
hing story of the convict fraudster who wrote Australia's first dictionary by Kel Richards | 9781460759769 | Booktopia
* You can find all Kel's books currently in print here -- Booktopia Search Results for 'kel richards'. We sell books, hardback, paperback, audio, CDs.
* And also here -- Amazon.com.au : Kel Richards
* And you'll find more here -- Search: 4 results found for "Kel Richards" – matthiasmedia.com.au
* Many of Kel's out of print books can be found at ABE Books -- Kel Richards - AbeBooks explaining words explain the term
BY THE WAY...
If you'd like to see my A-Z list of Aussie slang, you'll find it here in the Australian Geographic website -- A-Z list of Aussie slang. Here’s the link: The A-Z of Aussie slang - Australian Geographic
The liveliest part of this website is usually the Q and A page -- be sure to check it out from time to time.
